PHIL 201 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE, ALREADY
GRADED A+.
Critical Thinking
Careful thinking that...
-meets rational standards
-is supported by reason
-is goal directed
-helps us decide what to believe and what actions to take
Arguments
The primary way of expressing reasons and supporting claims.
They are an effective tool for evaluating and formulating claims that are worthy of acceptance.
Argument Reconstruction
The process of identifying, interpreting, and clarifying an argument
Argument Evaluation
The process of determining whether an argument is good or bad.
What is the main goal of an argument?
To convince the individual (or audience) that some statement or claim is true.
What are the two main components of an argument?
1. A Conclusion
2. Premises (which are reasons that intend to support the conclusion).
Unsupported Claim
A claim that is NOT backed by premises (reasons), but simply by personal beliefs/ opinions.
Unsupported claim = non-argument
Premise Indicators
Because, since, for, as, inasmuch as, due to the fact that, for the reason that, given that, assuming that,
seeing that, in view of the fact, as indicated by, being that, the reason being.
How to find the conclusion:
Ask yourself: "what claim is the author trying to convince me to believe?"
If the author is not trying to convince you of anything, then there is no argument.
(always aim to identify the conclusion first)
Deductive Argument
, A deductive argument is an argument that is intended to provide conclusive support for its conclusion.
Eg.
-All men are mortal
-Socrates is a man
-Socrates is a mortal.
(a deductive argument starts with facts and ends with facts)
What makes a deductive argument valid?
In a valid deductive argument, if the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true
Inductive Arguments
An inductive argument is an argument that is intended to provide probable support for its conclusion.
E.g.,
-Most physicists are good at math
-Sheldon is a physicist
-Sheldon is probably good at math
Inductive vs Deductive arguments.
In deductive arguments, if the premises are true, the conclusion MUST be true.
In inductive arguments, even if the premises are true, we can never be certain that the conclusion is
true.
Validity (D)
-When we say that an argument is valid or invalid we are referring to a deductive argument
-Validity refers to the form of a deductive argument only.
-Validity has nothing to do with the truth or falsity of the premises.
-A deductive argument is valid if it succeeds in providing conclusive support. If it fails to do so, it is
invalid.
Can an deductive argument be valid even if its premises are false?
Yes.
E.g.,
All men are immortal.
Socrates is a man.
Socrates is immortal.
(even though the first premise is false, the argument is still valid because it has good structure form.)
1 Rule for Valid Arguments
GRADED A+.
Critical Thinking
Careful thinking that...
-meets rational standards
-is supported by reason
-is goal directed
-helps us decide what to believe and what actions to take
Arguments
The primary way of expressing reasons and supporting claims.
They are an effective tool for evaluating and formulating claims that are worthy of acceptance.
Argument Reconstruction
The process of identifying, interpreting, and clarifying an argument
Argument Evaluation
The process of determining whether an argument is good or bad.
What is the main goal of an argument?
To convince the individual (or audience) that some statement or claim is true.
What are the two main components of an argument?
1. A Conclusion
2. Premises (which are reasons that intend to support the conclusion).
Unsupported Claim
A claim that is NOT backed by premises (reasons), but simply by personal beliefs/ opinions.
Unsupported claim = non-argument
Premise Indicators
Because, since, for, as, inasmuch as, due to the fact that, for the reason that, given that, assuming that,
seeing that, in view of the fact, as indicated by, being that, the reason being.
How to find the conclusion:
Ask yourself: "what claim is the author trying to convince me to believe?"
If the author is not trying to convince you of anything, then there is no argument.
(always aim to identify the conclusion first)
Deductive Argument
, A deductive argument is an argument that is intended to provide conclusive support for its conclusion.
Eg.
-All men are mortal
-Socrates is a man
-Socrates is a mortal.
(a deductive argument starts with facts and ends with facts)
What makes a deductive argument valid?
In a valid deductive argument, if the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true
Inductive Arguments
An inductive argument is an argument that is intended to provide probable support for its conclusion.
E.g.,
-Most physicists are good at math
-Sheldon is a physicist
-Sheldon is probably good at math
Inductive vs Deductive arguments.
In deductive arguments, if the premises are true, the conclusion MUST be true.
In inductive arguments, even if the premises are true, we can never be certain that the conclusion is
true.
Validity (D)
-When we say that an argument is valid or invalid we are referring to a deductive argument
-Validity refers to the form of a deductive argument only.
-Validity has nothing to do with the truth or falsity of the premises.
-A deductive argument is valid if it succeeds in providing conclusive support. If it fails to do so, it is
invalid.
Can an deductive argument be valid even if its premises are false?
Yes.
E.g.,
All men are immortal.
Socrates is a man.
Socrates is immortal.
(even though the first premise is false, the argument is still valid because it has good structure form.)
1 Rule for Valid Arguments
